Dyche Confident The Goals Will Come

Sean Dyche is backing his front line to come good again as he takes his Burnley side to Goodison Park this weekend.

The Clarets’ strikers have failed to find the net since Ashley Barnes’ earlier opener at Everton’s local rivals Liverpool in mid-March, a run that has now stretched to four games.

Against Everton, Dyche’s men will come up against the Premier League’s leading scorer in the shape of 23-goal man Romelu Lukaku.

But the Clarets’ front men have shared the goals around this term, with Barnes having five to his name, along with nine and seven from Andre Gray and Sam Vokes respectively.

And Dyche believes the goals will soon start to flow again for the trio to help build on a solid run of just one defeat in four games that has taken Burnley eight points clear of the relegation places with six games to go.

“We’ve been creating chances, that’s for sure,” said the Burnley boss, whose side has also kept clean sheets in three of their last four fixtures.

“We had a couple of games where it dried up a bit, but in the last three or four we’ve made chances and been in positions to win games.

“They only ever get pressure from me if they’re not in the right place to score a goal. I only question my strikers if they’re not getting in the moments to score a goal.

Ashley Barnes will be looking for a Merseyside double

“If a player misses, that’s the way it goes. But if they’re in there at the right time and place, you’ve got to believe that those chances will go in at some point.”

Everton’s form has picked up drastically since a 2-1 defeat at Turf Moor in October, with seven consecutive wins at Goodison Park.

Lukaku has played a massive part in their climb back up the table, notching 12 times in those seven games and helping to take the Toffees into a Europa League spot.

The Belgian international was on Dyche’s radar when he first came to England, with the then-Watford boss even trying to take him to Vicarage Road.

However, the Burnley manager says that Everton are much more than just a one-man team, and that his side won’t be focused solely on stopping Lukaku as they continue their search for a first away win.

“I remember at Watford ringing (Chelsea manager) Roberto Di Matteo up about him, and he just laughed and said ‘he’s a Champions League player,’” Dyche admitted.

“I knew of him as a young lad when he first arrived, and I thought he looked like a handful then. But he’s more than just a handful, he’s a fine player there’s no two ways about it.

“But Everton is not just about him. He’s a massive focal point of course, we all know that with the goals he’s scored. But there’s more to Everton’s side than him.

“Our players are not stupid. They know they’re a good side, it’s not just about having a good centre-forward.”